Teaching Strategies by Carl Venter

My students

carlventer33 — 2025-10-16 16:55:03 UTC

I have always had a big love for small children, and I love working with them, much more than with teenagers or high school students.

The above picture was taken at the language centre where I work. These students are between 9 to 10 years of age.

I'm very privileged and fortunate to have classes with students from the age of 6, all the way up to around 16 or 17. This allows me to see which age group I like the most.

My teaching approach/teaching strategy that I use in class is a combination of the Direct teaching method and Cooperative learning. I use a combination of aspects of the Direct teaching method and also aspects of Cooperative learning.

The Cooperative learning strategy works well in class when we have pair and group work, or when we have activities, where students have to work together. It depends on the class and the students, but I sometimes allow them to choose their own pairs or group members in better-behaved classes and in the naughtier classes, I would choose the pairs or groups .

The advantage I have is that after 8 years of teaching experience in Asia, I have seen and learnt what works in some classes and what doesn't. There isn't one size fits all when it comes to teaching.

Every class of students are different, even when they are the same age, which is why it is crucial that a teacher needs to be able to adapt and think on their feet, and also change approaches and activities in class when they don't work. Teaching in Asia has taught me that.

The use of Technology in a Science Classroom

carlventer33 — 2025-10-16 18:23:30 UTC

I believe that technology definitely enhances students' learning, providing a medium where they can work independently and take responsibility for their own learning.

Working with other students in class on the same software allows for collaboration and the opportunity for positive interactions and learning from one another.

References

carlventer33 — 2025-10-16 19:00:57 UTC

Chaudhary, A. (n.d.). Graph showing actual learning ability with e-learning techniques and traditional teaching techniques. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Graph-showing-actual-learning-ability-with-Elearning-techniques-and-traditional-teaching_fig2_294721233 [Accessed 16 Oct. 2025].

Anon, (n.d.). Cooperative Learning: Team Work Makes the Dream Work – Science Teaching. [online] Available at: https://sites.miamioh.edu/exemplary-science-teaching/2019/10/cooperative-learning-team-work-makes-the-dream-work/.

AITSL. (n.d.). Resource. [online] Available at: https://www.aitsl.edu.au/tools-resources/resource/using-ict-in-science-illustration-of-practice.

TCI (2019). How to utilise technology to enhance teaching science. [online] TCI. Available at: https://www.teachtci.com/blog/how-to-utilize-technology-to-enhance-teaching-science/.

Ed.D, A.T. (2019). Cooperative Learning - Planning and Implementation. [online] Thrive Global. Available at: https://community.thriveglobal.com/cooperative-learning-planning-and-implementation/.

Evidence that E-Learning techniques outweigh Traditional Learning

carlventer33 — 2025-10-16 19:11:14 UTC

When you look at the above graph, it is evident that E-learning Techniques outweigh Traditional teaching techniques and that E-learning techniques enhance learning by double or even triple what Traditional teaching techniques do (Chaudhary, n.d).

Cooperative Learning in a Science Classroom

carlventer33 — 2025-10-16 19:24:45 UTC

Cooperative learning is very important because it teaches students to collaborate, work together, and helps students develop their interpersonal skills, so that they can go out in the world, connect with other brilliant minds and share their ideas and inventions with others, and work collectively with others in creating amazing, innovative ideas and technologies.

2 Teachers created a digital curriculum for students to do projects, assignments, and practice on the software itself (AITSL, n.d.).

carlventer33 — 2025-10-16 19:41:28 UTC

In my voice recording, I spoke about software that schools can use to integrate into the school curriculum.

Students can work on an E-learning platform where they do their work digitally or electronically on the software itself. They can work in pairs or groups, collaborate, plan, discuss and see their progress on the software as they complete it. The teacher can offer guidance and also revisit their work and work on the work that they had submitted as pair work or group work (AITSL, n.d.).

My Teaching Strategy is a combination of the Direct Teaching Method and the Cooperative Learning Method

carlventer33 — 2025-10-16 20:03:21 UTC

The reason why I have chosen to integrate the Direct teaching approach with the Cooperative Learning approach is that I find benefits in incorporating both practices into my classroom.

The Direct approach helps me to supply the knowledge that students need to be able to work on their own, and to give out instructions, so that students know what they should do in class at all times and what is expected of them. As the teacher, I serve as a facilitator, where I observe and help or support students in their groups, should they need help or assistance( my own reflection through experience in class).

The Cooperative learning strategy is used in my classroom when we have pair or group work, or when we have class discussions, where students need to work together in pairs or groups, or when we have assignments or projects for class (Anon, n.d.).

Cooperative learning promotes positive interaction, where students work together to discuss and solve problems. Students work together on a common goal, so this encourages group work, interaction and teamwork, which also encourages teamwork and helping each other to work collectively (Anon, n.d.).

Students are also responsible for their own work and their own learning, and they need each other in order to complete the assignment or project (Anon, n.d.).

Compare and Contrast 2 technologies through the Direct teaching approach and the Cooperative learning Approach

carlventer33 — 2025-10-16 21:26:37 UTC

Comparing and Contrasting Two Technologies for a Teaching Strategy

Two Technologies :

Google Classroom
Educational Games

Teaching Strategy: Direct Approach and Cooperative Learning

The distinction between the two technologies

A. Google Classroom

This is a very nice interactive tool which a teacher can use in a physical classroom or online to interact with online students. This tool allows a teacher to make and post assignments, send assignments out, and students can complete the assignments, and the teacher can mark them ( personal experience working with Google Classroom).

The teacher can also post announcements and make notes, or provide information on the platform, which students and parents can see. Teachers can start class discussions, and students can send resources to one another and to the teacher and vice versa. The format of the files is all Google format files and can be saved and retrieved from the Google Drive. This makes access easy. It is also safe and secure, and only people who have the link have access to the information ( personal experience working with Google Classroom).

Google Classroom can be accessed from a phone, laptop, tablet or any device with an internet connection and a screen to view the information on.

The nice thing about Google Classroom is that it can be accessed from anywhere, and all parties can work on it at the same time, which makes teamwork, group work, interaction and collaboration very easy ( personal experience working with Google Classroom).

This makes Direct instruction very easy with the teacher and students who are working live on the platform and working together at the same time ( personal experience working with Google Classroom).

This platform is also excellent for pair work, group work, working on assignments and projects together, because students can send resources and files to each other, and this makes collaboration and interactions great between the teacher and the students ( personal experience working with Google Classroom).

B. Educational Games for Science

When it comes to engagement, interaction and making learning fun, educational games are a great way to get students excited and eager to participate (TCI, 2019)

These educational games create collaboration as games are generally played in teams. Therefore, teams have to work together, to discuss and to interact to give the correct information and answers to get points for their team (TCI, 2019)

These games are good for building team spirit, teamwork, interaction and collaboration. Learning should be fun, and I feel that these educational games are great at doing just that, making learning fun (Ed. D., 2019).

These games also promote collaboration, and therefore, they complement cooperative learning well and fit in well with a cooperative teaching strategy (Ed. D., 2019).

The technology that I prefer is Google Classroom

Even though Educational games like Kahoot, Bamboozle and Wordwall are all fun and engaging, and build teamwork and develop interpersonal skills and collaboration, I prefer the Google Classroom platform, because it offers so much more and makes learning accessible and worldwide, students can be reached at the same time. It also makes interaction, collaboration between the teacher and students very easy. Everyone has access to all sources and resources, which is very convenient. It is also secure, and with a link, access to all material is available instantly (Ed. D., 2019).

Video - there isn't any sound when I record on Padlet

carlventer33 — 2025-10-16 21:51:24 UTC